It takes courage to resist

It takes a great deal of courage to resist the status quo. That courage can be seen in the story of Sophie Scholl, Germany's most famous anti-Nazi heroine who was a fearless activist of the underground student resistance group called The White Rose.

Her story will be told in the film "Sophie Scholl - The Final Days" Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Historic Yuma Theatre, 254 S. Main St. The Freedom Library is screening the movie. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for Best Foreign Language Film.

In many societies, individuals are chided and even accused of being treasonous when they state opposition to their government, especially during wartime. It is always the duty of every citizen to support his country, which in the minds of many is synonymous with government. Once war is under way, all discussion and debate is over and government officials take any opposition as treasonous.

Sophie Scholl was caught distributing anti-war leaflets in 1943 when Germany was fighting a war against the Soviets in the east and the United States and Britain in the west. Sophie and others took it upon themselves to enlighten the populous as to how wrong and immoral their German government officials had become.

Since government officials at that time did not recognize free speech, Sophie Scholl and those caught opposing the war effort were prosecuted as traitors - just like the founders of the United States would have been had they lost their battle with England.

In the United States today, individuals possess their inalienable right to free speech. Although some are chided for their beliefs, it is important Americans can still say what they want, especially during wartime. America has the Constitution, and it is the American people who have the responsibility to make sure their government officials abide by it.

Free speech depends on the continuation of the great American experiment in liberty not being devoured by tyranny. Saying, "love it or leave it" is not the proper response when discussing current events. Immigration, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the wars on drugs and poverty, education and all of the other issues in America make it so important that Americans do not allow what happened to Sophie Scholl and others who spoke out for individual liberty and freedom to happen here.

Sophie Scholl and the other members of The White Rose were asking all Germans, military and civilian, to decide that what their government officials had become and what those officials got the German people into was immoral and illegitimate.

The White Rose was asking the German people to take the necessary steps to put a stop to their government officials and their war. They were asking the German people to embrace a higher concept of patriotism involving a devotion to moral principles and values, as opposed to blind allegiance to one's government in time of war.

They displayed a patriotism similar to that of the founders of the United States who decided that it was time to break with England. Like the story of the founders, the story of Sophie Scholl and The White Rose is truly one of the great chronicles of human courage in history.

The Freedom Library makes this movie available so that Americans will not make the same mistake the German people did and vote in tyranny to replace the republic they were bequeathed.

All funds from ticket sales and a drawing go toward The Freedom Library scholarship program. Through this program and others similar to it around the country, Americans will save their republic for future generations.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Stop by the Yuma Theatre Thursday to learn what happens when the principles of liberty are not followed, and to help others learn as well.

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Howard J. Blitz is a local libertarian and president of The Freedom Library Inc., 2435 S. 8th Ave. His e-mail address is info@freedomlibrary.org